Month: November 2020

Head of Hermes found in Athens sewer

Ex Cathedra

A marble bust of the Hermes, messenger of the gods, has been discovered during sewer construction in Athens, Greece. It is estimated to date from the end of the 4th century or early 3rd century B.C., when it was originally part of a herm, a rectangular pillar with a sculpted bust on top and genitalia at the base. Crews found the head on Friday, November 13th, built into the south wall of a modern drainage duct.

The newly-discovered bust is typical of the Hermes Propylaeus (Hermes of the Gateways) type created by ancient Greek sculptor Alcamenes in the mid-5th century B.C. and frequently copied throughout the Greco-Roman world. Alcamenes was known for blending elements of Archaic style from the 6th century B.C. with the greater expressive naturalism of Classical period. His Hermes couples the stylized curly hair and beard of an Archaic kore with the differentiated facial features of the Classical. Also typical of the Archaic style, Hermes is depicted in mature age. His iconography would shift in the later Classical and Hellenistic periods to depictions of the deity as a lissome young man.

Because Hermes with his winged sandals was the god who protected travelers on their journeys, herms were erected at boundaries, crossroads, gateways and graves. This herm was originally a crossroads or gateway marker in Athens and was recycled for use in the sewer drains many centuries later.

The work is in good condition despite its checkered past, and is now in the care of the Ephorate of Antiquities.

16th c. soldier found in Lithuanian lake

Renaissance

Underwater archaeologists have discovered the remains of a 16th century man and his kit at the bottom of Lake Asvejas in eastern Lithuania. The skeletal remains were found at a depth of 30 feet near Dubingiai Bridge, one of the longest wooden bridges still in use in Lithuania. Marine archaeologists uncovered bones, an iron sword, two knives with wooden handles and a spur. The armaments suggest the individual was a soldier. It is the first discovery of its kind in Lithuania.

This was not a burial. No evidence has been found yet indicating how he died, but whatever caused his demise, his body sank to the bottom of the lake. All of the bones were found in situ. Protected by a layer of clay and sand sediment, some of the young man’s accessories also managed to survive– his leather boots and fragments of a thin leather belt.

The lakebed was being surveyed before structural work replacing the bridge’s rotting wood beams with metal ones. Archaeologists and amateur divers worked together to survey the site. The remains were found during an inspection of the bridge’s supports.

A previous survey in 1998 had revealed that another bridge once stood in the same place, dating to the 16th or 17th century — around the time that the medieval soldier died, [marine archaeologist Elena] Pranckėnaitė added.

“For now, we assume that those discovered human remains could be linked with the former bridge leading to Dubingiai castle, which was situated on the hilltop on the shore of Asveja Lake,” she said.

The human remains have been recovered and now being studied at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University. The archaeological material is being conserved and analyzed by experts at the National Museum of Lithuania.

The put-your-warring-lords-to-work rules

Modern(ish)

Researchers at Kumamoto University have discovered a rare early Edo-period document regulating conduct at an expansive construction project used by the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to reel in his fractious lords. Issued by the head of the powerful Hosokawa samurai clan in January of 1608, the document lists 13 articles of behavior to be observed by everyone contracted to work on the reconstruction of Sunpu Castle. Its aim was to prevent conflict from breaking out on the worksite.

A seasoned warrior and daimyo (feudal lord) from a cadet branch of the imperial family, Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563-1646) was the clan leader during the early Edo period. He and the 5,000 troops at his command played a key role at the 1600 Battle of Sekigahara in which Tokugawa Ieyasu consolidated his power and the shogun rewarded Tadaoki for his support with even more lands.

To bring the fractious lords under the control of the newly-established Tokugawa shogunate, Ieyasu initiated major construction projects, in one fell swoop rebuilding castles and defenses damaged during the wars and making the daimyos pay for it, sapping their funds and independence. The code of conduct delegates all authority on the project to superintendent Masazumi Honda, one of the shogun’s top allies and newly-minted daimyo, and four Hosokawa vassals. The next articles ban all fighting within the clan on pain of death, watching a fight between opposing clans, let alone participating in one, or forcing any servants who run away to another house to return until after construction was finished.

The second half of the code provides a glimpse into the life of the soldier class (ashi-garu) mobilized for the project. Alcohol (sake) was strictly prohibited. They could bring their own food (bento), but were not to drink more than three small flat sake cups (sakazuki) of alcohol (Article 6). When going to town, they were supposed to declare the nature of their errand to the magistrate and obtain a permit (Article 7). Meetings with people from other clans or the shogunate were strictly forbidden (Article 8). Hot baths in another clan’s facilities were not allowed (Article 11). Sumo wrestling and spectating were strictly forbidden during the period of the project, and violators would be punished (Article 12). On the round trip between Kokura and Sunpu, workers were to travel in groups as indicated on an attached sheet (Article 13). This purpose of this historical document was to maintain peace at the project site and vividly conveys the aspects of the samurai society during its transition from a time of war to peace and prosperity.

This is the third known document recording behavioral rules during the work on Sunpu Castle. The first was promulgated by Mori Terumoto, lord of the Choshu clan and one of Ieyasu’s former enemies, but contains very similar language. The third is a verbatim copy of the Choshu document created by Maeda Toshinaga, lord of the Kaga clan. Researchers believe the daimyos were going off a sample rule set sent them by the shogun.

The code of conduct was written on two sheers of danshi paper, a thick white mulberry paper first produced in the 8th century that would become the preferred medium for official documents, ceremonial rites and court poetry. The sheets were joined together to make a large, expensive manuscript worthy of the dignity of head of the Hosokawa family. Kumamoto University researchers have conserved the fine paper, repairing a break in the join between the danshi sheets and restored their prized whiteness.

Rare glass vase found in Gallic tomb

Ancient

Archaeologists have discovered an exceptionally rare diatretic vase, a highly ornamented style of reticulated glass, in a paleochristian necropolis in Autun, central France. Only 10 complete examples of diatretic vases from the Roman era are known to have survived. This is the only one ever found what used to be ancient Gaul. The last one was found in the 1970s in North Macedonia.

This one is absolutely top of the line, inscribed above the elaborate decoration with the phrase VIVAS FELICITER (live in happiness). It is petite at 4.7 inches high and 6.3 inches in diameter. While it is damaged and there are many fragments, they have all been recovered and conservators will be able to stitch it back together.

Autun was founded as Augustodunum by the Emperor Augustus as the capital of the Aedui people in the 1st century A.D. The necropolis being excavated was built outside the city’s east walls in the early 3rd century and became Augustodunum’s main cemetery. Since excavations began this summer, more than 230 burials have been unearthed. There is a great diversity of burial types, including mausoleums, coffins with tile roofs, five massive sandstone sarcophagi and 15 lead coffins. One sandstone sarcophagus had a lead coffin inside of it. No inscriptions have been found to identify the dead of late ancient Autun.

The most grand sarcophagi contained appositely grand grave goods. A set of jet pins dating to the 4th century were found in burial 162, a pair of gold earrings in the lead coffin of a child and a gold ring inset with a cabochon garnet in the burial of a child or adolescent. A set of 4th century carved amber pins of such high quality and in such impeccable condition that there are no comparable groups in the archaeological record.

They were found at the feet of the individual buried in sarcophagus 43. That sarcophagus also contained a fragment with gold threads from a textile that has disintegrated, but its dye had leached from the textile leaving a tell-tale purple tint on the sediment. This is likely the fabled Tyrian purple derived from the murex sea snail. Another grave, grave 45, also contained a fragment of textile woven from gold threads.

The fine coffins and grave goods indicate that there were people of great wealth and status in Augustodunum.

Only Roman imperial letter in Bulgaria revealed

Ancient

An imperial letter from the Emperor Septimius Severus to the city of Nicopolis ad Istrum in Roman Dacia (modern-day northern Bulgaria) has gone on public display for the first time in centuries. It is the only intact letter from a Roman emperor ever discovered in Bulgaria and survived because it was carved on a two-ton slab of limestone 10 feet high. The inscription was rediscovered in 1923 broken into four large and several small pieces, the fragments blackened by fire. The pieces have been kept at the Veliko Tarnovo Museum of History since their discovery, but they were only puzzled back together recently. Epigraphers have now completely translated the 37 lines of the inscription, and the stele has been reinstalled in its original location at the archaeological park near Veliko Tarnovo.

The slab was inscribed with the text of the letter in 198 A.D. and erected in the city agora so the public could read it. At some point it was toppled, probably in the 5th century when the city was destroyed by Attila the Hun. It was written at the end of a turbulent period replete with violence and uncertainty as acclaimed emperors vied for the purple and paid with their lives.

Nicopolis officials had good reason to curry favor with Septimius Severus. They had supported one of the other imperial contenders and picking a side was a very dangerous wine-in-front-of-me game in the Year of the Five Emperors (193 A.D.). Cassius Dio records that when the news of Commodus’ assassination in December of 192 A.D. spread to the provinces, several governors had the bearers of the news arrested, not because they were pro-Commodus, but because they didn’t want to be seen as being in favor of his death should the report prove untrue. Commodus’ successor Pertinax, inspired by the example of Marcus Aurelius, was a judicious, humane emperor for the 87 days he got to reign before his virtue pissed off the Praetorian Guard so hard they killed him. They then sold the throne to the highest bidder, literally holding an auction in the palace in front of the decapitated head of Pertinax on a spike. The corrupt and debauched senator Didius Julianus won.

That put Cassius Dio, a senator and eye-witness to these events, in a scary WIFOM position of his own.

As for us senators, when the news was brought to each of us individually and we ascertained the truth, we were possessed by fear of Julianus and the soldiers, especially all of us who had done any favours for Pertinax or anything to displease Julianus. I was one of these, for I had received various honours from Pertinax, including the praetorship, and when acting as advocate for others at trials I had frequently proved Julianus to be guilty of many offences. Nevertheless, we made our appearance, partly for this very reason, since it did not seem to us to be safe to remain at home, for fear such a course might in itself arouse suspicion.

Septimius Severus was in Carnutum, modern-day Austria, with his legion when they heard about Pertinax’s fate. His troops proclaimed him Emperor and Septimius marched on Rome to claim the imperial throne. Julianus dispatched Praetorians to intercept Septimius Severus and his legions, but they were crushed (or fled). On June 1st, Julianus was killed by order of the Senate. Severus took the throne, adding Pertinax’s cognomen to his regnal name in honor of the man he considered to be the last legitimate emperor. He executed the Praetorians who had participated in the assassination and restaffed the guards with troops loyal to him.

The fight was far from over, however. Other pretenders —  Pescennius Niger in Syria, governor of Britannia Clodius Albinus — were gunning for him and it another four years would pass before Septimius killed Albinus and took undisputed control of the empire. Nicopolis had to wade into this political quicksand of violence, intrigue and shifting alliances long before the final battle made it clear who would come out on top, and Septimius Severus was not merciful to his opponents or their supporters.

So the city did what it had to do to placate the Emperor: shower him in cash. They “donated” 700,000 denarii to Septimius Severus. In return for their generous gift, the Emperor sent a nice thank you note.

Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax Augustus,

Conqueror of Arabia and Adiabene, and Greatest Conqueror of Parthia

Son of the deified Marcus Aurelius Pius, the victor in Germania and Sarmatia

[Marcus Aurelius], brother of the deified Commodus, grandson of the deified

Anthonius Pius, great-grandson of the deified Hadrian, and descendant of

The deified Trajan, the victor in Parthia, and of the deified Nerva,

Supreme priest, holding the tribune power for the sixth time,

Eleven times proclaimed emperor, twice consul,

Father of the fatherland, proconsul, and Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antonius Augustus [Caracalla], son of

Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax Augustus,

Conqueror of Arabia and Adiabene, and Greatest Conqueror of Parthia,

Grandson of the deified Marcus Aurelius Pius, the victor in Germania and Sarmatia,

[Marcus Aurelius], great-grandson of the deified Anthonius Pius,

Descendant of the deified Hadrian, the deified Trajan,

The victor in Parthia, and of the deified Nerva, with tribune power and proconsul,

Greet the archons, the city council, and the people of Nicopolis ad Istrum.

We have seen your remarkable devotion declared in our decree.

As well-meaning and loyal people striving to receive a more

Favorable assessment in our eyes, you have clearly shown

That you share our joy from the recent events; you have also conducted

Mass celebrations at the news for our successes – the common peace

Which has arrived for all people thanks to the victory

Over the barbarians who constantly embolden themselves to attack the empire,

And the joint leading of the state by the two of us in just collaboration,

Together with the legal Caesar [Geta] belonging to our family.

That is why we have read the decree with the due respect to

The monetary installment of 700,000 [denarii] as coming from well-meaning people.

Our friend and legate, the excellent Ovinius sent the decree.

(Septimius was not the descendant of Trajan or Hadrian. He was just borrowing their shine to lend legitimacy to his rule.) The well-meaning people of Nicopolis did not pay their extortionate bribe in vain. The city prospered under Septimius who visited it in person several times. His son Caracalla was not as big a fan. After he became sole ruler, Caracalla stripped Nicopolis ad Istrum of its titles, its responsibility for the imperial cult and its ability to mint its own coins. They were restored after his death.